Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close may be up for an Oscar, starring big-hitters Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock and concerning the tragic effects of 9/11 for one small boy, but Moviejuice presenter Grant Lauchlan wasn’t convinced.
“I thought it was mushy, self-important, extremely tedious and an exceptionally, incredibly pretentious film.” Well, don’t mince your words Grant!
He was joined for the reviews by BBC presenter Janice Forsyth and Scottish scriptwriter Sergio Casci.
Sergio disagreed strongly with Grant. He said: “I loved this movie.
“I thought it was dealing with one of the most difficult subjects you can deal with – the loss of a parent.
“The answer’s it came up with weren’t particularly original, but the way it dealt with it I thought was new and original and I thought it was incredibly moving. I was in bits by the end.”
He added: “But it’s interesting, because to hear you [Grant] talk about it – and also reading some of the criticisms across the Atlantic in the States, some people hate this movie.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve read such vitriol against a film.”
Janice explained: “I did feel a bit manipulated, particularly towards the end when they really ramp up the emotions, I thought too much so.
“But I think there’s a superb central performance from the little boy at the centre of the film, and I think if you take the film as a fable – so you don’t get too hung up on the idea the boy is wandering around the streets of New York under the age of 12, and almost take it as a tragic fairytale, I think it worked.”
Janice said critics had attacked the writer of the novel upon which the film is based because he was taking on a serious subject in 9/11 and you “do not go there”, but she continued: “Well, I’m sorry but I think we’re both agreed [her and Sergio] yes you can actually, and who are we or anyone else to lay down rules about how you should treat it.”
Grant responded: “You say it moved you – it moved me closer to switching it off. Ouch!”
So, what stars would they award it? For Grant it got “not such an incredible” two. Janice gave it three, saying there was a “dazzling central performance but slightly too manipulative towards the end of the film”. Sergio thought it was a great movie and gave it a four.
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